First grown and selected in the mountains of Laos, 'Lao Green Stripe' bears an abundant crop of ball-shaped fruits of green with a white netted pattern. Hints of purple may appear on the fruits as well. Also called 'Green Tiger', it produces multiple fruits ready for harvest 125 to 130 days after sowing seeds, or 90 days from robust transplants. Eggplants are usually harvested when small - no larger than 4 inches (10 centimeters) in diameter. They are delicately flavored and perfect for Southeast...

Colorful and tasty, 'Lao Purple Stripe' is a Hmong heirloom eggplant that yields ping pong ball sized fruits. Each eggplant is pale lavender to plum-purple striped with darker purple. The harvest season begins 125 to 130 days after sowing seeds, or 90 days from robust seedlings. Eggplants are usually harvested when small - about 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter. They are delicately flavored and perfect for Southeast Asian dishes, such as soups or curries.

This fantastic Spanish heirloom is one of the prettiest eggplants you can grow. It originates from the city of Gandia, just south of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast, and produces an abundant crop of large, oval fruits uniformly speckled and streaked with purple and white with mild, white flesh. Fruits are borne in profusion on compact but vigorous plants. The harvest season begins 125 days after sowing seeds, or 80 to 90 days from robust seedlings. Harvest fruits when perfectly colored, 8 inches...

The quaint plants of 'Little Prince' mature to a compact size excellent for containers or small vegetable patches and provide lots of purple, egg-like fruits. The shiny fruits occur in loose clusters and have mild flesh and few seeds. Even the velvety green leaves take on an exceptionally ornamental look. The harvest season begins 110 days after sowing from seed, or 65 days after planting from robust transplants.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though...

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most gardeners grow it as an annual vegetable crop. A healthy, mature plant has large, fuzzy, green leaves and an upright, bushy habit. Fruits are generally ready to harvest in 90 to 120 days after sowing from seed, or only 50 to 70 days when planted outdoors from robust seedlings.

The felty green leaves of eggplant sometimes have a purplish hue and appear on bushy, upright...

The fruitful eggplant 'Orient Express' is heat resistant and bears fruit earlier than most. The long, thin, purple-black fruits are elongated, curved and best harvested when 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 centimeters) long. Fruits are generally ready to harvest in 58 days after planting seedlings, or 110 to 120 days after sowing seeds.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most gardeners grow it as an annual vegetable...

Some gourmet chefs consider 'Pingtung Long' the finest tasting Chinese eggplant on the market. A disease-resistant variety from Pingtung, Taiwan, the fruit's flesh is very sweet and tender with superb flavor. The beautiful long, banana-shaped fruits are brilliant violet. Each matures 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 centimeters) long and is no thicker than 2 inches (5 centimeters). The harvest season begins 115 days after sowing seeds, or 65 to 75 days when planted from robust seedlings.

The 'Purple Pickling' eggplant originates from Japan but is favored by Italians for pickling. This eggplant's green leaves attractively contrast the dark purple stems. The oblong, pear-shaped fruits measure up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) long and have delicately flavored white flesh. Harvest 125 days after sowing from seed, or 90 days from robust transplants.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most...

The 'Purple Rain' eggplant causes neither sorrow nor pain for gardeners, only delight. It heavily produces purplish burgundy fruits with white flecks. The white inner flesh is mild with few seeds, if picked when no longer than 6 inches (15 centimeters). The shiny fruits develop on tall, well-branched, bushy plants that excel in warm weather. It continually flowers and displays fruit among the velvety green foliage. The harvest season begins 115 days after sowing from seed, or 66 days from robust...

The fruits of the 'Red Ruffled' eggplant, also called 'Hmong Red', may be the most beautiful in the world. The small eggplants resemble miniature pumpkins, maturing from gold to orange-red and finally scarlet red. In 19th century America, they were used by florists as decorative filler in autumn-themed arrangements, but in Southeast Asia the bitter fruits were used in traditional Vietnamese cooking. The 2 inch (5 centimeter) wide, flattened, ribbed fruits may be ready for harvest any time from early...